How Much Should You Budget For Morocco

August 21, 2018

You’re off to a land of sweeping sands and rolling mountains. Images of camel caravans of ages gone by swirl around in your mind. The gateway to Africa, Morocco’s medinas and souks behold an iridescent display of treasures that glitter invitingly under the African sun.

To help you budget and plan for your upcoming adventure, we’ve outlined some of the key costs in Morocco that you’ll come across whilst exploring the country.

Tipping

Tipping, particularly for tourist services is an integral part of Moroccan life. You generally won’t find service included on the bill at a restaurant but standard practice is to add 5-10% to the total.

Mint Tea

If you liked mint tea before travelling to Morocco, you will love it even more. Serving mint tea is a long-honoured practice in Moroccan culture that expresses friendship and hospitality. Served in beautiful bulbous glasses, your sugar intake will also increase significantly.

MAD

15 DH

USD

$1.60

GBP

£1.20

EUR

€1.35

AUD

$2.10

Bread

A meal is incomplete in Morocco unless it includes bread. Bread is eaten during all meals and as a snack throughout the day. For carb lovers, you will get your fill and then some. If you’re not dining in a restaurant and looking to pick up picnic supplies, the most popular types you will see are khobz (a round loaf baked in an over with a thick crust and made with plain flour) and msemen (a square shaped thick crepe made from wheat flour cooked in a pan with little oil).

MAD

1 - 2 DH

USD

$0.20

GBP

£0.15

EUR

€0.20

AUD

$0.30

Fish

We experienced the local fish markets in Essaouira, the windy coastal city approximately 3 hours drive from Marrakech. Selling sardines, prawns, mussels, squid and various fish, you can enjoy a delicious meal for two with some bread and olives for less than 150 DH (this price includes an estimate for cooking).

Ice Cream

When the mercury starts reaching 30℃ plus, a little cold snack is the solace you’ll be seeking. Grab a Magnum look-a-like or ice block from freezers at convenience stores along the way for a moment of refreshing respite.

MAD

5 - 10 DH

USD

$1.10

GBP

£0.80

EUR

€0.90

AUD

$1.40

Olives

Olives are generally served free in restaurants before your main meal. However, if you’re planning on putting together your own lunch or just want a few to snack on, then a small bag won’t set you back too much. You’ll find piles of green and black olives, all seasoned in a range of flavours. During our time in Morocco, we chose a mix of preserved lemon, chilli and herbs. Yum!

MAD

1 - 2 DH per scoop

USD

$0.20

GBP

£0.15

EUR

€0.20

AUD

$0.30

Salad

In the African heat, often a light, crisp salad is all you’ll need on those lunch stops. Moroccan salads are perfect. Combining tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, fresh mint and sometimes olives, just squeeze a hint of lemon and voila!

MAD

30 DH

USD

$3.25

GBP

£2.30

EUR

€2.65

AUD

$4.20

Tagine

A staple dish in Moroccan culture, you can use this dish as an index as to whether your restaurant choice is in a touristy area or more local. In a Marrakech Riad or more upmarket restaurant, you will pay upwards of 100 DH +, whereas in more regional locations, the price is roughly half this amount. Often served with chicken or lamb, vegetarian options are widely available too.

Coffee

In Morocco, you won’t find a wide variety of espresso options. Do as the locals do and order a nous-nous. Half coffee and half milk, this coffee offering quickly became our favourite and should sit well with latte drinkers.

MAD

15 DH

USD

$1.60

GBP

£1.20

EUR

€1.35

AUD

$2.10

Soft Drink

A bottle of Coca-Cola or Fanta Lemon (355ml or 12 oz).

MAD

10 - 15 DH

USD

$1.60

GBP

£1.20

EUR

€1.35

AUD

$2.10

Bottle of Beer

Over 90% of the country are Muslim and thus, alcohol is not sold in traditional Moroccan establishments. Alcohol tends to only be sold in restaurants, shops or hotels that are foreign-owned and largely in touristy areas. If you choose to consume alcohol whilst in Morocco, please remember to be mindful of your environment and respectful of any locals who may be in the vicinity.

MAD

30 - 60 DH

USD

$6.50

GBP

£4.60

EUR

€5.30

AUD

$8.45

Shoes

A pair of leather sandals, either slip on or with straps. Available in multiple colours. Don’t forget to barter! 180 DH is the first price that was quoted to Jas in the souks of Marrakech but she ended up paying 100 DH for the exact same pair in Essaouira.

MAD

180 DH

USD

$19.50

GBP

£13.85

EUR

€15.85

AUD

$25.35

Scarf

Available in various colours, prints and lengths. Many of the Berber scarves are hand-dyed and you can learn how to wrap one on your head before venturing into the desert. Prices in Marrakech are much higher than in regional towns. We purchased two scarves in Ait Benhaddou for 80 DH but were quote 90 DH for one scarf in Marrakech. Don’t forget to use your bartering skills!

MAD

40 - 90 DH

USD

$9.75

GBP

£6.90

EUR

€7.95

AUD

$12.65

Ceramics

If you love colour and you love homewares, then add a little more to your budget. You’ll find salad bowls, dinner plates, tagine pots, candle holders and more. Ceramics will vary in quality and thus price (we discovered that the higher quality ceramics tend to come from Fes). We settled for four medium-sized, good-quality plates for 300 DH (bartering down from 650 DH).

Laundry

After some sweaty days plus a night in the Sahara Desert, you might want a clean pair of undies and a fresh t-shirt. We used our hotel in Essaouira which charged per kilo but some other hotels may charge per item.

MAD

30 DH per kilo or 10 - 20 DH per item

USD

$3.25/kilo or $2.15/item

GBP

£2.30/kilo or £1.55/item

EUR

€2.65/kilo or €1.75/item

AUD

$4.20/kilo or $2.80/item

Marrakech Airport Taxi

Our research revealed that a taxi from Marrakech Airport to the medina should cost 70 – 80 DH (approximately 20 mins drive). Many tourists are ripped off and end up paying double, triple or even five times this amount. There is a sign at the airport parking lots displaying prices for le petit taxi (not necessarily abided by). Don’t be dissuaded. Be persistent without being rude. Eventually there will be a driver willing to take you to your hotel.

Bus

Once you’ve made it to Marrakech, getting around town can be exhausting. To save time and your legs, catch a local bus. Money is paid to the driver in cash. You can access real time schedules via Google Maps.

MAD

4 DH per trip

USD

$0.45

GBP

£0.30

EUR

€0.35

AUD

$0.55

SIM Card

If you have an unlocked smartphone, it’s super easy to buy a prepaid SIM with data at kiosks in the cities and even on the road. Our main reason for buying the SIM was for access to Google Maps, particularly to help us navigate our way through Marrakech medina. In Marrakech, we found data coverage to be reliable and reasonably fast.

MAD

50 DH (Maroc Telecom)

USD

$5.40

GBP

£3.85

EUR

€4.40

AUD

$7.05

Porter

As we were travelling as a group, tips were pre-arranged for us. The amount you tip may also vary on the extent of the service provided i.e. carrying bags to your room from the hotel lobby or using a cart to navigate the medina to your riad.

MAD

5 - 20 DH

USD

$2.15

GBP

£1.55

EUR

€1.75

AUD

$2.80

Petrol

We hired a car from Tangier Airport and drove to and from Chefchaouen. Attendants are on hand to fill your car upon instruction. There was no lack of petrol stations along main thoroughfares. We came across big names such as Shell and OiLibya.

Water

Tap water in Morocco is not drinkable. Unless you have a water filter, you will have to purchase water. We travelled in a large group and purchased 5 litre bottles so that our smaller bottles could be refilled on-the-go. We were informed that locals highly value these 5-litre bottles and re-use them in their everyday life. Please try to be responsible when buying bottled water and even carry a reusable bottle. Every little bit helps.

MAD

10 - 20 DH

USD

$2.15

GBP

£1.55

EUR

€1.75

AUD

$2.80

*Conversions calculated based on April 2018 average which is the month we visited Morocco. All amounts rounded to the nearest 5 pence or cents. Average exchange rates obtained from www.oanda.com.

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Jasmine Sue
Constantly debating whether to wear white or black on any given day, I don’t like the cold and am forever chasing the sunshine. My favourite word is “sale”, my weakness is shoes and I believe that there’s always room for dessert.